


The Beginning of Tomorrow

by StellaFleuret



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ben Is Sweet, F/M, Fluff, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Dyad (Star Wars), I'd watch that movie, Masks, Masquerade Ball, No Kylo Ren, Only the name, Rated For Violence, Rey Palpatine doesn't exist idk what you're talking about, Rey Solana, Space Opera, Terrorists, Violence, brief dancing, implied StormPilot, no battles and Death Stars, not that political, some gore, stop destroying planets ok star wars, you're ruining the balance of the universe and black holes are popping up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:13:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23655901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellaFleuret/pseuds/StellaFleuret
Summary: Rey knew from the very beginning that going to Queen Leia’s charity ball wasn’t a good idea.  She just didn’t expect to get tangled with Crown Prince Ben Solo amidst all the chaos.
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28





	1. Eyes of the Knight

**Author's Note:**

> Damn. Been a long time since I've posted anything. I've been thinking of dipping my toes into Star Wars, specifically Reylo, or more accurately Reyben, for a while. So here it is peeps. Only my second fanfiction. First Star Wars one. Hope you guys enjoy! 😊

Rey wished that she was more excited about this charity ball as she made her way down the wide hallways, past the royal guards. But she couldn’t shake the feeling of unease niggling at the back of her mind.

For a moment, she wondered if it was the Force. If it was trying to tell her something. She shook her head. Perhaps she could ask her Master later.

She was very lucky that her Master had granted her the opportunity to join The Resistance charity organization to begin with, considering her Jedi training took up most of her time.

But now that they had arrived at The Resistance’s headquarters in Alderaan, she wanted to explore Cloudshape Falls and Isatabith rain forest. Not twirl around in mask and costume and dance the night away.

Rey inhaled. She’d do it. For Her Majesty.

The doors slid open with a hiss, and for a moment, she had a brief glimpse of the guest suite’s plush beige couches, a floating chandelier that looked to be made of crystals and seashells, thick navy blue rugs, potted plants, and a smooth and elegant wood-and-glass coffee table, before something small shot towards her from the middle of the room.

“Oof!” She was nearly barreled over by Rose, and when the petite woman steadied her with her strong hands, Rey looked down to see her warm, crinkling eyes.

“Took you long enough to get here! Come on, you’ve _got_ to see the costumes we got for you.” Rose led her past the living room and into a sitting area that had been blocked by a wall. 

“You weren’t waiting for me long, were you?”

She shook her head. “I just came to check if you were here and the door opened.”

Finn, Poe, and Paige were already laughing and holding up costumes and masks against each other.

“My lady,” Poe lifted a silken top hat on top of his head and bowed dramatically, raising Finn’s hand and kissing the back of it.

Finn giggled girlishly behind his hand, and the rest of the women, including Rey and Rose, burst out laughing. Paige and the others turned, and their eyes lit up.

“Rey!”

She was enveloped in hugs all around and when everyone pulled away, Finn tapped her on the shoulder. “Watch this!” He extended a hand, his eyes screwed with concentration. One of the beautifully carved masks shuddered atop the table, and floated off of it, almost reluctant. 

“Finn, that’s amaz—”

The mask began to fall, and everyone made some form of noise: gasps and nervous cries.

Poe leapt towards the mask and twisted in the air, so his back met the floor. He winced but brightened when he saw that he had caught it in his hands.

Everyone, including Rey, let out sighs of relief.

“You scared me.” Finn ran a hand across his forehead.

“I should be saying that to you,” the pilot chuckled, kissing Finn on the cheek.

“Queen Leia would’ve killed me if one of the masks broke,” Paige placed a hand over her head.

“You mean _me_.”

“I like this costume,” Poe declared, placing the top hat back onto his head with a flourish. 

“And I like this one.” Finn raised an ancient gladiator metal half mask that was clearly painstakingly melted into its shape.

“Rey, come here!” Paige waved her over, and Rey and Rose made their way over to the other side of the table laid with masks and costumes. She held up an elegant sunset gold half mask and a delicate golden diadem with a tiny sunstone in its center.

“Paige, that’s perfect.” Rey gently took the items in her hands, cradling them as if they were babies. “Will they fit?” 

“It should. Her Majesty had these custom-made for you, I think.”

Rey placed the mask over her eyes first, pressing on the tiny metal lines on both sides and with a soft _beep_ , it gently stuck to her temples. Then she carefully placed the diadem over her forehead, where it rested just above the mask itself. Perfect.

“Rey, it’s gorgeous,” Rose sighed. “But you can’t forget this.” She held up a soft gold flowy chiffon dress that seemed to emanate a glow.

Rey smiled. “I’ll try it on.”

~*~

“This is so exciting, isn’t it?” Rose whispered to Rey and Paige, who nodded in unison.

They had just finished putting on the final touches of their costumes and were making their way to the palace’s banquet hall, following the steady line of guests in their own elaborate clothes and masks. The low murmuring of the guests, the clacking of heels, and the occasional laughter echoed against the smooth, iridescent walls, which reminded Rey of the inside of a seashell. 

The trio passed by numerous armored guards, and finally the hallway opened up to reveal a great, beautiful room— one of the oldest in the palace, according to what Paige was saying in Rey’s ear. The walls were made of ornately carved pale stone and multiple chandeliers that looked to be made of aquamarine and lavender gems bathed the room in a cool, ethereal light.

Businessmen and women, Senators, politicians, and other high-profile guests mingled with several familiar faces from the Resistance. Kaydel was speaking with Lando and Jannah and Zorii was animatedly telling a story to Prince Luke, Finn and Poe, who were dressed as a cyborg, gladiator, and gentleman with a top hat, respectively.

Queen Leia had a beautiful silver crescent moon-shaped mask over her face and was holding a frosty glass of mintea, as usual, as she spoke with Maz and a few other people Rey didn’t recognize, with her consort Han, dressed in a great, flowing cape with stars interwoven in it, on her arm. Their costumes, Rey could tell, were the most luxurious in the whole room. Chewie was following close behind them. R2 and C3PO were talking with BB-8 and a few other droids in the corner.

“I’m going to go join Finn and Poe,” Rose twirled dramatically, so that the green-blue scales on her mermaid mask and dress shimmered. “How about you two?”

Rey’s stomach rumbled, then, and she placed a hand over it with a sheepish smile. “I could do with some food.” The girls had worked on her makeup and hair for a few hours, and she hadn’t had a proper meal since breakfast.

“All right! See you later then?” Paige smiled, and they all nodded. 

Rey stared after the soft, feathered wings attached to the back of Paige’s angel costume, admiring the way it, too, seemed to glow.

Her stomach growled again.

Right. Food.

She turned to make her way towards the buffet table… and ran headlong into someone big and solid.

Rey gently pressed her fingers against the diadem and mask; luckily, they had not fallen, and seemed to still be in good condition. No scratches. “Er, pardon me, sorry about that…” She looked up.

A masked man stood before her.

His half mask resembled a Jedi Temple Guard’s but black with silver markings rather than white with gold, and he looked as if he was wearing heavy-looking plate armor under his dark gray robes, which were hemmed with silver thread. They even had the symbol of the Jedi Order— a star flanked by elegantly spread wings— stitched on them with shimmering golden thread. For a brief moment, she saw that the hilt of a lightsaber was attached to the belt wound around his waist, before her eyes were inevitably drawn to his. They were, after all, the only things the mask on his face showed, aside from his full lips.

He was tall, and broad-shouldered; even with the bulky armor on, she could tell he was powerfully built. The costume itself was definitely not just for show. 

Rey could see that his eyes were dark, and he had dark lashes, too. She wasn’t sure why, but she couldn’t help that her gaze always seemed to return to his own. She never knew that eyes could look so emotional, thoughtful, and vulnerable at the same time. Something about him seemed familiar.

She wondered if he was the son of a Senator, or a businessman. His costume and mask looked expensive and seemed as if they were made of good quality materials.

“It’s fine, nothing to apologize for,” the dark Jedi Temple Guard said, and she couldn’t help but notice how deep and comforting his voice was. It seemed to resonate in the space between them and sent a shiver of awareness down her spine. His voice seemed familiar, too.

“You have a beautiful costume,” she said, eyeing him up and down again and feeling heat suffuse her cheeks.

“As do you.” He looked down the length of her dress and then back up, his gaze lingering on her lips for a moment before locking with her own eyes.

“Thank you. But yours looks like something a Senator could afford.”

“I assure you, I am not a Senator, or the son of one,” he said, off the look on her face.

“Who are you, then?” she inquired.

“Be— er, I mean…” he cleared his throat. “Kylo Ren.”

She blinked. That was the stupidest name she’d ever heard of. But if he was using a false name, perhaps she could as well. “Kira.”

He extended a gloved hand and Rey placed her own in his, immediately noticing the warmth that seeped from his fingertips to hers. His hand swallowed her own as he shook, and she felt a warm tingle spark up along the length of her arm. She wasn’t sure what it was, but she felt something resonating between them. A pull, an energy. Was it the Force?

“Were you going over to the buffet table?” he asked, breaking her out of her reverie.

Rey smiled, rather abashed. “Yes.” Her stomach protested for the third time, and Kylo chuckled.

“Over here.” He led her to the long, rectangular table in the middle of the room.

It’d been a long while since Rey saw this much food in one place. Queen Leia always ensured that the employees and volunteers at The Resistance were well fed, but… seeing all this made her mouth water.

There were chilled glasses of multicolored smoothies, l’lahsh, emerald wine and toniray in slim flutes, stewed kebroot, starblossom fruit, roast gorak with malla petals, sweetened oro bark, flatbreads, and many more platters of meats, vegetables, and fruits Rey had never seen.

Before she even knew what she was doing, she had piled a couple plates high with a little bit of everything and was already digging in when she heard a soft exhale beside her.

She turned to see Kylo’s lips were parted and his eyes wide behind his mask.

“That’s… impressive, Kira.” Kylo himself was only holding a glass of emerald wine with some mint as garnish. There was a short pause. “I didn’t know Jedi carried lightsaber staffs. I thought those were only reserved for the Temple Guards.”

Rey swallowed her mouthful of food, glancing down at the staff’s hilt she had placed in her belt. “Yes, you’re right. I should be giving it to you instead,” she half-joked, glancing up at his eyes, which were still trained on her, as if they hadn’t left her at all. “And I should be given yours.” She set her plate down on one of the nearby small tables and plopped herself down on one of the cushioned pouffes. Kylo followed suit at once. “I was a youngling, only eight years old when my Master found me. I knew how to use a staff to defend myself already, so the Council and the Temple made an exception for me.”

There was silence for a moment, and she took the opportunity to eat some starblossom fruit but made sure to take small bites just in case he continued talking.

“Where are you from?”

“Jakku.”

Kylo blinked. “Was coming to Alderaan the first time you saw green?”

“My Master took me to Coruscant first, to the Jedi Order. We went to Naboo after: that was the first planet I saw covered in so much green.”

Rey watched a small smile pull at his lips. His gaze looked gentle.

“Your first time in Alderaan then?”

She shook her head. “There's still a few places I haven't been to, though.” Would've preferred exploring to this party. “Her Majesty _did_ promise a tour in a few days, though…”

“You work for the Resistance charity?” Kylo asked, sharply.

Rey blinked. “Yes.” She paused to take in his countenance, or rather, part of his countenance. Considering she could only see his eyes and lips, only some of his microexpressions could be read. “Is that a problem?”

“No. I just…” He was quiet for a moment, gazing into the distance. Then, “I have something to show you.”

“What is it?”

“Follow me.” Kylo extended a gloved hand and Rey stared at it for a moment. She had no idea why, but she felt it again. That something, whatever it was, pushing her towards him. She placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead the way, even as music had begun to echo throughout the room and guests began pairing up to dance. She gazed back at the twirling, laughing guests before focusing her attention on the great man ahead of her.

Rey almost felt as if she had to trot to keep up with the strides of his long legs. He led them down in and out of rooms and through long hallways, occasionally interspersed with guards. Truly like a labyrinth.

He knows the palace’s layout like the back of his hand.

She had only been to the Royal Palace of Alderaan a few times, and this was the first time she’d ever crossed so much of it without any of her friends, or Queen Leia, to accompany her.

Finally, Kylo slowed, and he parted a set of thick, velvet curtains leading to a terrace. Moonlight spilled onto the smooth marble floors and Rey moved up to the railing, entranced. 

A winding, silver river cut through the vast forests and land before them, and further along, in the distance, were the twinkling orange lights of the smaller villages.

“This is the River Wuitho,” Kylo said, moving to stand to her left and placing his hand exceedingly close to hers.

“It’s beautiful.”

Several stars— or were they planets? — glowed particularly bright, twinkling directly at her if she angled her head imperceptibly to the right. 

“I’m sure Her Majesty wouldn’t mind if I gave you a personal tour of Alderaan myself,” he said, and the next thing she knew, she could feel the tips of his fingers tracing patterns along her bare arm.

He must’ve taken his gloves off.

Rey turned to face him, eyes wide behind her half mask. “You know the area better than Her Majesty herself, then?” she asked, her lips quirked into a smile.

“Perhaps not as well as Queen Leia,” Kylo replied, moving his fingers up higher to her upper arm and shoulder.

“Do you work at the Department of Tourism?”

He chuckled. “Not quite. My job isn’t that important.”

Is he trying to seduce me?

She blinked. There it was again. That pull. That same energy pulsing between them as he moved closer so that his chest was pressed flush against hers. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt something warm spread throughout her as their chests touched. An aura.

His fingers moved higher. Up her neck to her jaw.

Rey felt his thumb lightly caress her chin, and her lips parted unconsciously. His eyes darkened.

Heat blossomed across her cheeks and her heart pounded within her.

Kylo bent down and gently cupped her face in his big warm hands. Then he was leaning down.

He was warm, and the smell of leather and pine filled her nostrils.

It was soft, tentative at first. Just a touching of lips. But it felt right. Warm, comforting. His mouth softening against hers.

She didn’t do this. Kiss strangers whose real names she didn’t even know. 

Rey pulled back first, eyes wide and heart stuttering. But then, she was leaning forward again, the same time he did. His mouth felt hot as it took possession of hers, and he lightly sucked at her bottom lip, stroking his tongue with hers and groaning.

She sighed against him, clutching at his shoulders and arms. She lost herself in the sensations.

Rey had no idea how long they kissed under the moonlight. She only knew they were rudely interrupted when the warm light seeping beneath her lids disappeared. Her eyes flew open.

Kylo pulled away first this time, but his big hands seemed to tighten around her waist and shift her away from the swishing velvet curtains leading back to the palace’s hallways.

She blinked. She craned her neck. All of the palace’s lights were out. She swallowed and licked her swollen lips. “What happened?”

Kylo didn’t respond. He pushed her behind him, interlacing her fingers with his and stepping towards the curtains. 

Just as Rey suspected when they ducked under them, the lights were all out. Even the data pads beside the doors had a single blinking red light now.

“Backup should be on any second,” she heard him murmur as they neared the closest door.

The red light turned yellow. Two lines of lights on the floor flickered on, immersing the room in a dim orange glow. 

_Boom._ The building shuddered.

Rey jumped, tightening her hand around Kylo’s. “What was that?” She was surprised he barely reacted.

“I don’t know.”

She moved up to one of the doors and pressed her ear to it.

“Kira, get away from there.”

She could hear distant muffled noises. How was the rest of the palace going to solve this? She turned to face him. “We need to find a way back in. Find my friends and Her Majesty.”

He stared at her as if she were crazy. “It’s a lockdown, Kira. Backup power just came on, but I don’t think anything good is happening in there. Call it a bad feeling.”

Rey had a feeling he was right. That niggling sensation from earlier was back. It was eating at her. “There has to be a way to bypass it.” 

Kylo stepped closer. “Kira. We need to get out of here.”

She shook her head. “If anything—”

A burning, fizzling sound interrupted them, and they whipped their heads to the right to see the end of a red lightsaber carving its way through the metal door, sparks scattering across the marble floor.

Rey’s heart leapt to her throat. A Sith? She turned back to Kylo. “Can we seal the blast doors?”

“Those _are_ the blast doors.” He strode towards her as she reached for the lightsaber’s hilt at her belt. His gaze hardened. “Kira, _don’t_.” His hand seized her wrist, stilling it.

“Kylo, we need to fight. You have a saber, too, if we just work together—”

“This is too dangerous. They’re probably terrorists. We need to get somewhere safe.” He dragged her away, and Rey had to almost sprint to keep up with his jogging this time.

“Kylo, stop!” She tried to tug her wrist out of his grip but it was no use. He wasn’t hurting her, but he was too strong. Then, she ran headlong into his armored back when he suddenly stopped, and she winced again, rubbing at her forehead under the diadem.

Rey peeked around behind him just as she felt his body stiffen.

Two figures cloaked in black, their faces covered with black-and-silver masks, barred the way ahead. One held a menacing vibro-ax with two shining points of red light, and the other held a glowing darksaber.

Her eyes widened. She’d only heard of stories of darksabers from her Master and accounts of it in the Archives. She glanced up to see Kylo’s jaw was set. 

Surely, he must’ve been lying when he said he wasn’t a Senator’s son.

Without thinking, Rey turned and began streaking down another hallway, keeping her hand tight around Kylo’s gloved one.

“Kira, what—?”

“They’re after you, right?” She didn’t give him a chance to respond. “Come on!”

But Rey barely made it down halfway when Kylo began tugging her in the opposite direction, “I know a secret door. This way.”

She crinkled her brows. What? She followed him, though, and they made sure to stay crouched and quiet as they sneaked down a few more identical hallways. The distant echoes of running footsteps behind them only heightened her anxiety.

Finally, he stopped in front of a smooth wall and pressed at one of the stone tile’s corners. _Beep_. A previously hidden panel ejected smoothly into view.

“How did you do that? Are you bypassing the lockdown?”

“I work here.”

“As what?” Rey demanded.

“I’m a radar technician.”

She gaped at him. That was the stupidest thing she had ever heard of in her life, second after Kylo Ren as being a person’s actual name.

_Click._

With a low rumble, and the sound of stone grating on stone, a gap revealed itself to them.

“Come on. Quick.”

Rey followed Kylo down the narrow passageway as the stone door closed behind them. They would’ve been thrown into darkness had he not pulled out a small flashlight. At the end was yet another door he had to input a code into.

She placed a hand over her chest as her heart rate slowed and exhaled slowly. They were safe, for now.

When they emerged into the high-ceilinged room, she couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her lips.

The smooth walls were made of polished, expensive-looking wood and marble, and the gray and warm toned furniture and décor was minimalistic but elegant. There were two doors on either side of the room with gleaming silver handles, and a set of hovering steps led to the second landing, where there were two more doors. A plush, beige couch sat before an ancient, stone bookcase with actual bound books. And an enormous bed covered in white and gold sheets and pillows took up the center of the room. 

Kylo turned to face her, and said, “This is the Crown Prince’s room, one of the safest rooms in the Palace. We can take shelter here for now and devise a plan of action. Comlinks have been jammed, from the looks of it.” He held up the hi-tech device for her to see.

Rey stared at him as comprehension dawned on her face.

He stepped towards her, slowly. “What is it?” He sounded nervous.

“You’re the Crown Prince, aren’t you?”

He froze, and this time, she took the last few steps needed so she was standing right in front of him.

“Take off your mask.” She kept her voice gentle. She watched his throat bob as he swallowed.

Then, he lowered his head, pressed at the tiny lines of metal on his mask, and it came off with a soft _beep._

Longer than normal dark hair covered his ears. Several moles were scattered across his face. And now she could see his expressive eyes and full lips perfectly, without anything barring her view. Her heart thudded. 

It was the Crown Prince. Ben Solo.


	2. The Cracks in the Mask

Rey wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel. Flattered? Shocked? Conflicted? Perhaps all three.

She didn’t like the idea of either of them telling Queen Leia she had been kissing her son the first time they met.

She felt her foot instinctively take a step back.

Ben’s eyes, already so afraid, were glued to hers. “Kira…”

“That’s not my name, either,” she said, and he paused as he began to close the distance between them. “It’s Rey.”

Ben stopped in front of her, exhaling softly. She could see the recognition in his gaze. “You’re Rey Solana.”

She nodded. “How could you keep this from me, Your Highness?”

“Please,” he interrupted before she could continue, “It’s Ben.”

“B— Your _Highness_ ,” Rey gritted out, giving him a look when he took another step so that the ends of his soft hair tickled her forehead. “So those armored people _were_ after you.”

“No, not r—” Ben sighed. “Rey, you have to understand why I would’ve kept my identity from you. From anyone. Hell, everyone. I’m so used to getting attention wherever I go. And Mom plans this party where everyone can wear masks? I get to be someone else for a few hours. Not just the Crown Prince.” He reached up and she felt the tip of his thumb gently brush against her cheek, just beneath the edge of her half mask.

It tickled, and goosebumps appeared all over her arms.

Then, he said, “I was afraid they were going to take you.”

Rey blinked. Take _me_? That didn’t make any—

Her eyes widened as something clicked into place. She took more steps back this time. “You knew something. If you were worried they’d take me, as leverage of some sort… Were you planning something, Your Highness?”

His face fell, becoming such a sad puppy expression that for a moment she felt something in her chest twinge. 

“Were you—” she nearly choked on the words. “ _Are_ you working with these terrorists?”

“Not anymore—”

Rey gasped. The confirmation was enough. “How could you!”

He averted his gaze to the couch beside them. “I hadn’t realized that Snoke would have allowed violence to occur, and that the Knights would begin ignoring my orders.”

Knights?

She blinked. “Those people in the hallway. The ones with the darksaber and red lightsaber. They’re the Knights you’re talking about?”

“Yes. Knights of Ren. There’s supposed to be six of them.” Ben sighed. “Trust me when I say I didn’t expect it to be like this. I didn’t want it to.”

Rey narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. She didn’t want to forgive him so easily but for some reason, she knew he was telling the truth. His gaze looked desperate.

“Why are you telling me all of this?”

“I just— I…. I feel something— er, I don’t know…” Ben threw his arms up in the air. “I trust you. It’s a feeling. I don’t know how to describe it.”

She knew exactly what he was talking about. But chose not to push it.

“All right.” She inhaled slowly. “So what are we going to do? We need to find a way back to everyone.”

He looked at her, and something passed over his face: she could tell he was realizing she was choosing to trust him for now.

“First thing… is for you to stay here.”

Rey’s outward mien immediately morphed into outrage. “ _What?_ No!”

“Rey—” This time, he took a step back when she stomped up to him. 

“You don’t get to do that to me. You’re not going against six Knights by yourself. Not when a Jedi is standing right in front of you!”

“I need to keep you safe!” She froze and her eyes widened when Ben suddenly placed his hands on her shoulders, steadying her. “The least I can do is keep you out of the mess I made. This is a _safe_ room. I’ll go out, stop this whole catastrophe, and find your friends and Mom and Dad, okay?”

Rey crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Then what are you going to do if they come in, Ben?” His gaze looked surprised as soon as his name spilled from her lips but she didn’t care at the moment. “I’m not going to just sit here and wait for you to rescue me. It makes _sense_ that we stick together. Two Jedi Knights are better than one. Always.”

He sighed and turned away from her. “You won’t let me say no.”

She shook her head and the edge of her mouth quirked into a smile. “And you never answered my question anyway. So, you don’t have an answer to that, do you?”

“Fine,” Ben muttered, and a grin spread across her face. “Any ideas, then?”

“You have an emergency stash in here? Blasters, seismic charges?”

He nodded and led her to the side of the bookcase, where he pressed a button before letting something scan his face. With a soft hiss, a hidden compartment opened, revealing a number of weapons she recognized: there were heavy blaster pistols, small and portable seismic charges, a sniper rifle with a targeting scope, and even a powerful looking bowcaster.

“What are you good with?” Ben asked.

“Toss me some of those charges. And a pistol.”

He did so, with her snatching them out of the air. Rey noticed him strap something across his chest before he slung the bowcaster on a small clip hanging off his upper back. “We should try to do this as stealthily as possible first,” he said, as she attached the pistol to her belt, as well. 

Rey nodded. “Just so we’re clear, these are a last resort,” she said, eyeing the bowcaster and charges on his back.

“Yes.” He exhaled. “You ready?”

“When you are.”

They both made their way over to his actual bedroom door when she sensed the presence of two Force users coming closer on either side. Ben seemed to notice as well because he flung his arm out to stop her from moving closer.

“They’re here.”

It still didn’t prevent Rey from jumping when two cuts, making the metal bubble around the ends of two sabers— a black one and a red one— slashed across it, creating a perfect X. The Knights on the other side continued hacking at the door, and the glowing yellow-orange gashes widened until finally, parts of the door began falling to the marble floor, hissing and smoking.

She could see their masks and armor through the expanding gaps, their movements becoming more and more vicious. She was just about to draw her lightsaber staff when Ben thrust his palm out, and the rest of the liquefying door burst outward, knocking the two Knights off their feet and onto their backs. Their sabers deactivated and clattered across the floor.

_“Rey!”_

She blinked. But her legs were moving anyway, even before she knew anything else was going on. Following Ben as he sprinted forward.

They rushed through a series of hallways, with their blaster doors melted and slashed apart, and for a moment, Rey thought back to the events earlier that night, when she had once again followed Ben as he led her to the southern terrace overlooking the lake and the villages in the distance.

She shook her head. She had to refocus now. Find her friends, Queen Leia, and Consort Han.

Ben suddenly stopped in front of her, and this time, she caught herself before she ran headlong into his back again. Two Knights, one with a heavy war club, and the other with a vibro-scythe blade, were stalking towards them.

Rey stepped forward so that she stood beside Ben and drew upon the Force, and the handle of her lightsaber staff flew into her hand. She’d done this in front of Finn a couple times when she was trying to show him some basic uses for the Force, and he’d just rolled his eyes and said, “You couldn’t be bothered to just take it from your belt?”

She pressed the button on the hilt twice, and the low, electronic buzz of the two sabers on either side of the hilt hummed to life, reflecting golden light on her face and the walls.

There was a high-pitched fizzing beside her and from her peripheral vision, she could see the soft purple glow of Ben’s own lightsaber as he turned it on. 

They both glanced at each other before starting forward. The Knight with the war club expertly twirled it in his hands. And swung it at her head.

Rey bent backwards, avoiding the blunt weapon as it gave a low whistle just above her face. She twisted to the side and slashed upward, but the Knight dodged with ease. He was actually doing a good job, admittedly, in avoiding her blows, and it took all the effort in the world to quash the frustration welling up within her.

She was only vaguely aware of Ben dueling with the other Knight with the vibro-scythe behind her when she put on an extra spurt of speed and dashed forward as she angled her staff, ducking beneath the war club as the Knight swung yet again.

One of the golden beams of light cut through the war club’s handle with ease, and Rey took advantage of the momentary pause in the Knight’s movements to stab at their chest. 

She straightened, panting a little, her heart pounding within her. The Knight swayed on their feet before falling onto their back with a heavy thudding clink of armor against the floor.

When she turned, she saw Ben had just dispatched the other Knight himself and was motioning her to follow him.

“I sense more Knights up ahead. And a bunch of other people.”

“Do you sense your Mom?” she asked as they hurried forward.

“I don’t think so.”

They stepped inside of an open, circular room where tables and chairs had haphazardly been strewn to the sides, against the walls. There was an elegant divider in the middle with water running on either side, from a gap in the ceiling.

“Ah, Young Solo.” A soft, dangerous voice whispered as Rey and Ben slowed, though they kept their lightsabers at the ready. “Took you longer than expected to arrive.”

“Senator Snoke.”

Snoke? Rey looked around and saw a figure stand from the only standing chair in the room. He was tall, thin, and had such pale skin she could see the veins beneath it. His face and neck had knotted scars, and the top of his forehead looked like it had been split in two at one point, and hurriedly put together with the most primitive needle and thread possible.

She glanced to their right and saw a massive group of people kneeling or sitting on the floor, past the open blaster door in the other room.

Two of the hostages were lying on the floor in a pool of blood, faces blank and eyes glassy: a man and a woman.

Rey felt bile rising in her throat and forced herself to look at the people’s faces instead.

The rest of the hostages were huddling each other, some were sobbing, and some were trying to comfort those who were more upset. Rey scanned the faces quickly while reaching out with the Force. None of her friends at the Resistance were there. Nor were Queen Leia and Han. 

She exhaled, and for a moment her eyes flicked to the open doors and the datapad near it.

Just then, the Knights with the lightsabers arrived inside the room as well, deactivating them and sheathing the hilts at their belts. 

Without even moving any of his hands, Snoke deactivated her lightsaber staff and made it fly into his hand. He set it on a pedestal beside him; Rey struggled against the invisible bonds that had now bound her arms to her sides, and her ankles to the floor. She glared up at him.

The unspoken question was on her lips, but she refused to let it go.

Snoke met her eyes and he seemed to read what was in her mind, because he said, “Clearly, the boy seeks to supplant his mother.”

“No, I—”

“Silence!” Snoke interrupted sharply, casting his gaze behind her. 

Rey tried to turn to look at Ben, who had fallen silent, but she couldn’t even move an inch.

The senator steepled his long fingers together. “Don’t tell me this girl changed your mind about everything. You have been apprehensive of Luke Skywalker since he agreed to take the title of Prince years ago.”

Ben stayed silent. Which was probably what Snoke wanted since he continued. “You confessed your doubts to me, and I listened. I knew that you were worried your uncle would threaten your path to the throne.”

Rey could’ve rolled her eyes. How would Luke Skywalker have been a threat? Ben Solo was the _Crown_ Prince. Was that why he knew about hostages? Had he been planning on taking Luke hostage?

“Perhaps I can give you another chance,” Snoke nearly purred, and she felt herself levitate forward so that she was only a few meters away from the senator’s feet. “Kill the girl and we can finish this coup together. Become Master of the Knights of Ren once again.”

“He won’t do it,” Rey hissed, before she could stop herself. 

Snoke’s dark eyes met hers and when his thin lips curled into a smile, it was cold. Cruel. This time, he didn’t say anything.

Rey heard Ben’s footsteps behind her, the sound almost reverberating in the silent room. The hum of his lightsaber was closer too.

Suddenly, she heard of the sound of a saber igniting. Her heart skipped a beat. And Snoke’s mouth fell open as a beam of gold glowed at his body’s waist. And then, the senator’s torso crumpled to the side. 

The Force that was holding her up released instantly and she fell to the ground, hard, with a grunt. She glanced up quickly.

A spray of blood had spattered across the floor, and for a moment Rey could smell the disgusting scent of burnt flesh, could see the moment Snoke’s intestines and other organs were cut in half. Seared. They spilled out of his body, staining the pristine marble crimson before the lightsaber staff flew towards her, and she raised her hand and caught it by the hilt.

Her stomach roiled. 

She got up on her feet, a little shakily, turning to meet Ben Solo’s gaze. Vulnerable. But resolved.

And there it was. That invisible thread humming between them.

Without wasting another moment, Rey whirled around to face the hostages on the other side of the open door. She Force pushed the group of hostages away as far as she could. A few of them yelled and covered their faces, startled, as they slid along the smooth floors.

 _“Run!”_ she called, before focusing her mind both on the door’s data pad and the Force still keeping it up. The data pad bursted into a shower of sparks, and the blaster door slammed down onto the ground. Just then, one of the Knights bounded towards her, and she pressed at the button on the hilt again, so the second blade of light appeared.

The Knight fired at her with their arm cannon, but she dodged easily, slashing upward at their armor. The golden-orange glow that her saber left was unmistakable, and they fell forward onto the floor, steam slowly rising from the smoldering gash.

When Rey turned, she saw the Knight with the darksaber charging at Ben from her peripheral vision just as the last one swung their red lightsaber at her. She bent backwards, narrowly avoiding the menacing thrumming of the red saber, dropping her left hand at the last second for some balance. Rey Force pushed her staff away from her and it deactivated just as she twisted to the right.

The Knight slashed at her again, violently, but the hilt of the staff was back in her hand and she blocked the blow, using one of the sabers, with ease. She pressed the button again and twisted upward, but they dodged and met her blow with their own scarlet blade. 

Suddenly, they flipped over her, and Rey whirled around as fast as she could, throwing her hand out and Force pushing before the Knight could land a hit. The Knight grunted as they were thrown back, their saber deactivating and flying out of their hand. The hilt’s clattering sound reverberated against the walls.

She leapt towards the Knight, raising her staff. But they rolled to the side and extended their hand, the red lightsaber soaring back into their grasp. The Knight swung their red saber at her legs, and she jumped over it, kicked her right foot out, and promptly swiveled a little in the air to follow a second kick with her left.

The Knight staggered back, and as soon as Rey landed, she slashed at them once more, and they fell heavily to the ground. 

She glanced over to see Ben panting, his face a little sweaty, as he stood over the Knight, whose own darksaber was still glowing and humming on the floor. His gaze locked with hers.

They deactivated their sabers before jogging up to each other. He looked fine. No injuries that she could sense on him.

“Ben.” Rey sighed. She took a few deep breaths before walking up to him, her heart slowing. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. “Are you?”

“Yes.”

“Everything’s going to be all right, Rey.” And before she knew it, his strong arms were wrapping around her and drawing her to his expansive chest. She closed her eyes and inhaled, savoring the feel of his body against hers. Rey could feel herself becoming calmer as a pleasant warmth thrummed within her heart and spread throughout her. She was safe.

It was over.

~*~

Rey was finally able to take off everything: mask, diadem, costume, the heeled sandals, and get some well-deserved food and drink in her after letting her hair down and cleaning all the makeup off.

She freshened up in the refresher, making sure she was presentable and clean before meeting Queen Leia and Ben again. 

She had been nearly crushed in a hug by all her friends— Finn, Poe, Rose, and Paige— when the rest of the royal guards had arrived to help clean up and get anyone who was injured (be they guard or civilian) attention from the medical droids. Rose and Paige had been crying, and Finn and Poe had stony expressions on their faces. Rey had relished just hugging them in relieved silence before finally being led away to some water and fruit still laid out on the buffet table.

She exhaled as she pulled on a clean set of clothes, and then slipped on one of her hooded Jedi Knight’s robes laid out on the bed.

Rey made her way back to the banquet hall, where Queen Leia now stood speaking with Lando and Jannah, her face grave. The queen spotted her from the corner of her eye and excused herself before hurrying over to her, with nearly six royal guards trailing after her.

The petite woman hugged her, fiercely, and then drew back, her warm hands cupping Rey’s face. “How are you, my young Padawan? Ben told me everything.” 

Rey smiled wearily. “Fine, Master. Is Be— er, His Highness, all right? And everyone else?” She felt her face heat and hoped that her blushing wasn’t too obvious. Surely, Ben hadn’t told her _everything_?

“No casualties from the Resistance, luckily. But it seems we weren’t as lucky with the civilians.” Master Leia shook her head and sighed. “What a mess. I never knew Snoke would take things so far. And Ben is fine.” She laid a hand on Rey’s shoulder. “He’s in the medical ward with his father.”

Rey furrowed her brows. “Did something happen?”

“Abdomen wound from one of the Knights as we were escaping with Finn and the others. Diagnosis says he’ll be fine, but he’ll be stuck in bed for a couple weeks. Won’t like that.” Master Leia chuckled.

“Your Majesty,” a royal guard stepped up to her and bowed deeply. “The Captain would like to speak with you.”

“Very well.” Master Leia took up Rey’s hands in hers and squeezed gently. “Get some rest, Rey. We’ll talk more later tonight.”

“Yes Master.” She watched her Master turn and make her way to the Captain of the Royal Guard on the other side, her six guards keeping close.

Rey sighed and looked around.

Some of the civilians were still crying and hugging one another. Rey felt as if fists were clenching around her heart and stomach. She could only imagine how traumatic it was to be a hostage and to have people be murdered in front of you.

She felt a distinctly warm, pleasant aura emanating from behind her and turned just as a voice spoke.

“Rey.”

Ben, flanked by six of his own royal guards this time, was dressed in his own set of clean Jedi Knight’s robes. He looked just as tired as her, but at least any grime, blood, and sweat were gone, and he smelled cleaner. He didn’t look like a prince now. He looked… normal. A normal Jedi Knight like her. But an attractive, courageous one who’d fought at her side.

“Your Highness.” She bowed as best she could. “How is your father?”

“Recovering well. It’ll take him a while, but he’s in no real danger.” Rey blushed when his scrutiny became more intense. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing important, Your Highness.”

“Tell me. Rey.”

She didn’t know how he could be so good at reading her. They’d only met less than a day ago. “I, er… never got to dance. During the charity ball.” You whisked me away before that could happen.

He blinked. Then, a small smile pulled at his lips. Ben raised a hand, and the royal guards beside him bowed and moved away. He reached for her own hand, interlacing their fingers together. “Follow me.”

It was déjà vu allowing the Crown Prince to lead her throughout the hallways of the palace again. Things were a little different though. Some of the doors were melted. Some of the walls had scorch marks. And bits of rubble and glass littered some of the blood-streaked floors.

Rey swallowed and turned away from them, focusing on the soft back of Ben’s robes instead. 

He led her back to the southern terrace. The one that overlooked Lake Wuitho. The one he’d taken her to just last night. This time, the sun illuminated the cheerfully blue sky. Everything looked so bright and clean. A complete contrast of what happened last night.

“Let’s dance here. If you’ll allow me to make it up to you, that is.”

She giggled. “To what music?”

“We don’t need it.”

Rey gave him a look, and he looked expectant, too. She smiled and stepped into his open arms and let him place his hands on her waist. Let herself place her own hands on his broad shoulders. As they swayed to some unheard music in their minds. 

Ben’s big hands came up to cradle her face, and she met his intense, dark gaze. “Can I kiss you, Rey?” he asked, his voice sounding unsure.

“You’ve kissed me before, haven’t you?”

“Yes. I just want to make sure you don’t hate me when I kiss you. And that you want to kiss me.”

I do, Rey wanted to say. 

But instead of saying anything, she stood on her tiptoes and placed her mouth over his.

And even though she was exhausted, and her body wanted nothing more than to curl up in bed, she decided to allow herself this. This dance with Crown Prince Ben Solo. Yes, she would allow her heart to savor this. 


End file.
